PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Vitor Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pietro Rava (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rava has chosen Blue October - Drilled a Wire through my cheek as his entrance music. Pietro Rava has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Gracie
vs
Rava

185 cm
24
196 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

185 cm
26
185 lbs
10 - 5 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Counter striker
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Vitor Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Pietro Rava!
The judges for this bout are Saam Ante, Radbod Blank and Patrick Alders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rava tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in the close the distance. Gracie manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Gracie dives in and grabs Rava's left leg, looking for a takedown. Rava pushes down on Gracie's head and hops out.
Gracie misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Rava wants to clinch up but Gracie keeps it at a distance.
Gracie pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Gracie tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Rava darts in trying to clinch
and Gracie finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Rava defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Gracie.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vitor Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gracie shoots in and drives through. Rava sprawls well.
Gracie tries to land a front kick but Rava steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Rava throws a series of strikes that have Gracie backpedaling.
Rava wants to clinch but Gracie slips to the side
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Rava, as that shot connected.
Rava is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Rava tries to close the distance and clinch but Gracie swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Pietro Rava is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Gracie throws a leg kick
and Rava counters with a leg kick.
Gracie stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Rava.
Gracie throws a half hearted mid kick.
Rava tries to close the distance and clinch but Gracie swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Gracie looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Rava!
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Gracie tries to control but Rava wriggling away.
Gracie wants to take Rava's back here but Rava is holding on to an arm, himself looking to escape.
Gracie sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rava tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Gracie trying to control but he's not successful this time.

Gracie with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Rava is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Gracie unloads with some shots from mount but Rava bucks and avoids them well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie unloads with some shots from mount but Rava bucks and avoids them well.
Gracie has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Rava tries to hold on but Gracie pushes him away.
Gracie wants to control the pace but Rava is squirming around nicely.
Gracie sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Rava tries to hold on but Gracie postures up.
Gracie trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Rava is looking to improve his position but Gracie isn't that keen on the idea.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie unloading with bombs!

It looks like Pietro Rava has been cut.
Gracie trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Gracie cracks Rava with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.

That has opened up Pietro Rava's cut even more.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gracie looking to control but Rava is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Gracie is really struggling to control Rava but he's trying to hold on to the position.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vitor Gracie dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Pietro Rava's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Rava tries to sprawl but Gracie drives through with a takedown into half guard.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Gracie stalling away here and it's allowed Rava to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Rava keeps moving.
Rava is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Gracie is controlling him.
Gracie stands and throws Rava's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Gracie is looking to take a break and control but Rava is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie working away.
Gracie trying to control the action but Rava is working from the bottom.

Gracie is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Rava has escaped the position, nice work there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gracie tries for a kimura but Rava is defending well.
Gracie trying to control the action but Rava is working from the bottom.
Rava on the wrong end of some ground and pound.

The cut above Pietro Rava's eye is starting to cause him problems now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rava can't do much from the bottom here.
Gracie wants to control but Rava is keeping him busy.

Gracie tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Gracie has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Rava is trying to buck Gracie off.
Gracie throwing strikes but missing, from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rava is trying to control Gracie's posture but Gracie avoids it.

Gracie is trying to get an arm triangle but Rava is defending well.

Gracie looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Gracie working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rava is letting Gracie control him for a moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vitor Gracie dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Pietro Rava's cut.
That's time! Gracie's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. And we move into the final round!

Gracie swats away the attempt to clinch by Rava.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Gracie.
Gracie tries for a takedown but Rava sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Rava tries to clinch but Gracie is having none of it.

Rava tries to sprawl but Gracie drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Rava tries to get to full guard but Gracie has control of the leg.
Gracie is pressing down on Rava's thigh, looking to free his foot. Rava is holding on for now.
Rava wants to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie is looking to advance position but Rava won't allow it.

Rava is defending against the submission attempts here by Gracie.
Rava keeping hold of Gracie's head, controlling as best he can.
Gracie is trying to control. Rava wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Gracie stalling away here and it's allowed Rava to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie tries to free his leg and advance position but Rava is retaining full guard.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Rava is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gracie loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Rava is looking to stand back up but Gracie counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Rava.
Gracie wants to take a breather but Rava is having none of it.
Gracie is taking a breather. Rava says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Gracie passes the guard and advances to mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie throwing strikes here but Rava is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Rava takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Gracie looking to control and managing it successfully.
Rava really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

Gracie goes for an armbar but Rava turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Rava.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rava stopping the sweep attempt from Gracie.

Gracie is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Rava is aware though and is defending well.
Rava thows a big elbow that misses.
Gracie looking for a sweep. Not yet Gracie, not yet.
Rava wants to control from the top but Gracie keeps moving.
Rava really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Gracie. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Rava throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rava wants to stand but Gracie is controlling his posture from full guard.
Pietro Rava has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Gracie looking to control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Vitor Gracie showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Gracie, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight for Vitor Gracie!
Judge Radbod Blank scores the fight for Vitor Gracie!
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight for Vitor Gracie!

Vitor Gracie wins by unanimous decision!